The present invention relates to a hydrokinetic energy conversion system where the turbine device of the system displays inclined orientation vis-à-vis the incoming body of water. Examples of such systems are disclosed in WO 2013/006061 A1, which is hereby incorporated by reference.
As compared to cross-flow turbines, which have a rotor axis that is orthogonal to the incoming water stream, and axial flow turbines, which have a rotor axis which operates in a plane which is parallel to the incoming water stream, an inclined turbine is arranged to operate with the rotational axis of the rotor in an inclined orientation vis-à-vis the incoming body of water. In such an inclined turbine, the geometry of the rotor will have a large impact on the energy conversion efficiency of the system, and finding an efficient blade geometry has proven to be difficult. The present invention addresses this problem and seeks to present a blade geometry which is particularly well adapted to systems in which the rotational axis of the rotor operates in an inclined orientation vis-à-vis the incoming body of water.
Consequently, according to one aspect, the object of the invention is to bring forth a hydrokinetic energy conversion system comprising an inclined flow hydrokinetic turbine having improved energy conversion efficiency as compared to prior art inclined flow turbines.